The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has released a landmark report warning that the United Kingdom must urgently adapt to survive global heating, as the country is now 'built for a climate that no longer exists.' The report calls for widespread installation of air conditioning in care homes and hospitals within the next decade, and in all schools within 25 years, as traditional cooling measures like drawing curtains, opening windows, and planting trees for shade will not suffice.
Extreme Heat Poses Immediate Risk
Julia King, chair of the CCC's adaptation subcommittee, stated that extreme heat is the most immediate climate threat to life in the UK. 'Extreme heat is certainly the most deadly of the climate impacts on the UK, so we need to see cooling rolled out at scale,' she said. 'Sometimes this will mean shading, but sometimes it will mean air conditioning. And either way, we've got to get serious about protecting our most vulnerable people in hospitals, in care homes, and in schools.'
The report indicates that heatwaves are expected to exceed 40°C across all parts of the UK by 2050, with longer hot periods potentially causing an additional 10,000 heat-related deaths annually. Currently, about 90% of UK homes are likely to overheat. In 2022, when temperatures rose above 40°C, there were approximately 3,000 excess deaths, and such extreme heat events are becoming 'the new normal.'
Energy-Efficient Cooling Solutions
While air conditioning is energy-intensive, accounting for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, modern efficient systems using heat pumps are available and already subsidised by the government to replace gas boilers. However, they are rarely installed at present. The report suggests that rather than cooling entire buildings, households could designate one cool room for use during heatwaves.
Sam Alvis, head of energy security at the IPPR thinktank, advocated for combining air conditioning with solar panels. 'We are going to have to get used to being a hot country, which is quite a mindset shift for the UK,' he said. 'Air conditioning is actually a great pair for solar from an energy system point of view because it matches supply and demand, and your aircon is only going to be needed above certain temperatures.'
Broader Climate Impacts and Costs
The climate crisis is currently costing the UK about £60 billion per year, or roughly 2% of GDP, including flood damages and crop losses. The report warns that without action, the 7 million properties at risk of flooding could increase by 40% by 2050, with peak river flows 45% higher. Sea levels are projected to rise by 20-45 cm, increasing coastal risks, and heavy rainfall intensity could rise by 60%. By the end of the century, if temperatures increase by 4°C, storm surges that now occur once every 100 years could happen annually.
Droughts will become more frequent, with summer river flows likely a third lower than 20 years ago. By 2050, the water supply shortfall could reach 5 billion litres per day—equivalent to about 2,000 Olympic swimming pools. More reservoirs must be built to prevent taps from running dry. Wildfire risk days are expected to double by 2050, with the season extending into early autumn.
The CCC estimates that protecting people and infrastructure would cost about £11 billion per year, with half coming from the private sector. Every £1 spent would yield approximately £5 in benefits. Currently, the UK invests 50 times this amount annually, some on infrastructure that exacerbates climate vulnerability.
Government Response and Urgent Action Needed
Emma Reynolds, Secretary of State for the Environment, made no new financial commitments but noted that the government is already acting, with a record £2.65 billion invested in flood defences and the largest nature-friendly farming budget in history. However, the CCC found that none of the UK's existing national adaptation plans from devolved governments are fit for purpose.
Julia King emphasised that preparing for climate impacts and reducing emissions should be treated as national security issues. 'With the right decisions, we can protect the people and the places we love,' she said. 'So, the strong message is that decline is a choice, it's a political choice, it's not inevitable. We can do something about it.'
